A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to comfort and support articles, and to covers for such articles. More particularly, the invention relates to a maternity support system used to support an expectant mother""s body during pregnancy, to support the caregiver and/or the infant during the feeding of the infant, and to support an infant learning to sit.
2. Background Information
The state of the art in general includes various maternity-related comfort and support articles. The state of the art in general includes a variety of breastfeeding support articles such as pillows, pads or cushions. These devices are arranged by the caregiver to support the infant or a portion of the infant, the caregiver or a portion of the caregiver""s body, and/or the bottle, container or breast during a feeding process.
These devices and methods are believed to have significant limitations and shortcomings. The caregiver""s own personal conventional bed pillows often are used because of their familiar feel and smell. However, bed pillows tend to move, shift or slide out of position, and thereby lose their effectiveness for support and comfort. Other specialty breastfeeding support articles are provided in limited sizes and shapes, and therefore may be difficult to fit or use in the desired positions and locations. These difficulties become evident when the support articles are used by different-sized caregivers, and when the caregiver is using some types of furniture. For example, the known foam support articles can be difficult and uncomfortable to use in a chair with arms, such as a rocking chair. Furthermore, many of the known devices are difficult to clean as they are not readily laundered. Either they are simply wiped off or they require a separate, relatively expensive cover that can be laundered.
This invention provides a maternity support system that is economical, easy-to-arrange, easy-to-clean, adjustable, reliable, comfortable and stable. The present invention provides maternity support, defined herein to include support for an expectant mother""s body during pregnancy, support for a caregiver feeding an infant, support for an infant being fed, and support for an infant learning to sit. As such, the present invention is believed to constitute an improvement over existing technology.
The present invention provides a maternity support system, a maternity support set, a pattern for making a pillow cover set, a method of making a maternity support system for use with at least two conventional bed pillows, and a method of providing maternity support to a caregiver feeding an infant.
The maternity support system generally comprises a first element and a second element connected to the first element. The first element and the second element are positioned and arranged with respect to each other for a maternity support use, i.e. to support an expectant mother""s body during pregnancy, to support a caregiver feeding an infant, to support an infant during feeding, and/or to support an infant learning to sit. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9ccaregiverxe2x80x9d includes mothers, fathers and other persons that provide care to an infant, and the term xe2x80x9cfeedingxe2x80x9d includes but is not limited to breast feeding and bottle feeding. The elements may either be integrally formed as a unitary support article, or may be removably attached to each other using a connector. In a preferred embodiment, the elements comprise pillow covers adapted for receiving a conventional bed pillow, which are removably attached to each other using VELCRO hook and loop fasteners as the connector. Pillow covers, as defined herein, include pillow cases that have open ends and pillow shams that have open backs.
The maternity support set is a set of items that are used to form a maternity support system that is adapted for a maternity support use, and generally comprises at least two flexible bodies and at least one connector adapted for removably attaching the flexible bodies together. Each flexible body is adapted for receiving a pad, and preferably is a pillow cover, such a pillow sham, adapted for receiving a conventional bed pillow. The connector preferably is VELCRO hook and loop fasteners sewn onto the pillow covers. The support set may further include a bag adapted for packaging, storing, and laundering the flexible bodies. The bag includes a mesh bottom and mesh sides that define a soft-sided, cylindrically-shaped device with an opening. The bag includes a draw string adapted for closing the opening.
The pattern for making a pillow cover set adapted for providing maternity support generally comprises at least one connection pattern piece adapted for instructing a person to attach connectors to at least two pillow covers. The connection pattern piece is preferably a hook and loop fastener pattern piece adapted for instructing the person to attach hook and loop fasteners to the pillow covers. The pattern may further comprise at least one pillow cover pattern piece adapted for instructing the person to make the pillow covers. The pillow cover pattern piece preferably is a pillow sham pattern piece adapted for instructing the person to make pillow shams.
The method of making a maternity support system for use with at least two conventional bed pillows generally comprises the steps of selecting a set of at least two pillow covers and attaching a connective device to said at least two pillow covers. Each of the pillow covers is adapted for receiving a conventional bed pillow. Each pillow cover is removably attached to another pillow cover in the set. In a preferred embodiment the pillow covers are pillow shams, and the connective device is a VELCRO hook and loop fastener sewn on or otherwise attached to the pillow shams. The step of selecting a set of at least two pillow covers may further include the step of making the pillow covers. The method of making a maternity support system for use with at least two conventional bed pillows may further include the step of inserting a conventional bed pillow in each pillow cover.
The method of providing maternity support to a caregiver feeding an infant generally comprises the step of orientating a predetermined shape of both a first element and a second element in a maternity support system about a caregiver. An orientated predetermined shape provides maternity support for a desired feeding position. These feeding positions include but are not limited to a cradle hold position, a cross-cradle hold position, a football hold position, and a lying down position. The method of providing maternity support to a caregiver feeding an infant may further comprise the steps of attaching the first element to the second element to form the predetermined shape, and forming the first and second elements by inserting a standard bed pillow into a first and second pillow cover.